Page 59 of Charmed Forces
“We do. Columbia, Ethiopia, Costa Rica... I even have a bean from a small grower here in the US.”
“I didn’t know wecouldgrow coffee here,” said Lily.
“The climate is right in California and they send it by train to keep it as environmentally friendly as possible. There are other experimental projects to see if coffee is a commercially viable crop in the country too. I can get you a taster if you like?”
“Please,” agreed Lily.
“I have a small batch ready,” she said, turning to reach for the French press on the counter behind her. The shelves above were artfully decorated with all manner of French presses, bags and sacks. Peeking out from behind one of the small sacks, and aimed at the cash register, was a small device. I couldn’t be sure but I thought it was a camera. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Do you deliver, by any chance?”
“No, not yet but it’s something we’re looking into.” She poured the coffee into two small cardboard taster cups and placed them on the counter. “We can add regular milk and plant-based milks and pretty much any flavored syrup you can think of but I think it’s best to try this coffee on its own first.”
I sipped the coffee, finding it rich and earthy. “That’s really nice,” I said.
“I like it too,” agreed Lily, putting the cup back to her lips.
“My brother’s friend picked up a couple of coffees from here yesterday. I wonder if you might remember him. I think there was some kind of argument between them later about whose turn it was to pay the bill. I said I’d stop by and see if you possibly recall,” I lied, knowing it was a weak one but hoping it worked. I figured telling the woman that her coffee cups were found at a deadly crime scene might make her clam up.
The woman pulled a face. “I’m not sure I’d remember. It’s been pretty busy here by myself. Do you know what they ordered?”
I shook my head. “Just two coffees.”
“No, sorry. We get enough passing trade that I wouldn’t remember a simple order. Now a complicated one might stick in my head if it were unusual enough.”
“Is the logo exclusive to this shop?”
“Yes, I designed it myself using one of those graphic design websites online.”
“Okay, thanks for your help.”
“Can I get you anything before you go? Maybe a full-sized coffee?”
“Yes, please. Two coffees,” said Lily, who was peering at the cakes behind the glass screen, “and two slices of chocolate cake. I’m hungry.”
“Coming right up.”
“That was a bust,” said Lily as we walked away with our purchases. “Although the coffee is really good. If I were going to poison anyone, I would definitely do it with good coffee. It seems too mean otherwise. Plus, good coffee ensures they drink it. Bad coffee goes down the drain.”
“Actually, I think it was a good outcome. We found the shop and I noticed they had a home security system set up with a device above the cash register. I’ll bet it’s there in case someone tries to rob them. It looked like it was pointed directly at the counter. If Lucas can get a hold of their feed, I’m sure I’ll recognize one of Daniel’s colleagues. And if I can’t, I’m sure one of my brothers will.”
“That’s great!” Lily stopped, her cup poised to her lips. She lowered it and turned. “We should go back. We should demand that security feed right now! Why didn’t you tell them what happened and ask for it?”
“Because the police should pick it up first. They need to see that evidence. I just need to work out whom to tell about the coffee cups missing from the scene, that I’m reasonably sure they came from this coffee shop, and that whoever picked them up possibly put the drugs in to render the detectives unconscious before they murdered everyone else,” I said. “I wonder if Garrett can tip someone off? Or maybe Jord? No, maybe one of my uncles or aunts. They’re one step removed from Daniel.”
“Surely the officer will just say they picked up coffee, no big deal,” said Lily.
“Yeah, but...” Then I took another step. “So if everyone’s dead or missing... Here I am thinking it matters who bought the coffees, and it does, but it also matters whoremovedthe cups.”
“Someone else had to be in on it,” said Lily.
“Yeah... working in conjunction with the killer. The pizza boxes were listed in the evidence but the coffee cups weren’t so that must be how the drugs were delivered. Someone went back later, after the killings, after Daniel went missing, and removed the cups. If Lucas can get us that feed, it will give us someone to look closer at.” I stopped short of saying anything else, fearing I’d probably already said too much. Not that there was a problem Lily knowing but there would be a problem if she lied to Captain Brandt and he found out. I didn’t want to put her in that position although I did appreciate her helping me on this excursion.
“It would be a whole lot easier if Daniel just told you.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “If only I knew where he was. I’ll ask Lucas if he can get anything from the cameras nearby too. That should be enough to give us something to start from. We can work backwards from there.”
“We?”